Portable traction system

ABSTRACT

A system for the application of orthopedic traction, including a transportable frame providing adjustable support for a bed mattress and various traction equipment that can be removably attached thereto. The frame with the mattress and traction equipment will fit on a hospital bed or a bed in the patient&#39;&#39;s home, and with the patient can be placed as a unit in an ambulance to transfer the patient between hospital and home without interruption of the traction therapy. Ancillary traction equipment and a wheeled cart especially for the frame also are described, the cart designed for use in lieu of a bed frame where desired.

United States Patent 11 1 Throner [451 Nov. 26, 1974 PORTABLE TRACTION SYSTEM 21 App]. No.2 313,770

[52] US. Cl. 128/84 C, 5/84 [51] Int. Cl. A611 5/04 [58] Field of Search 128/84, 75, 70, 83, 85; 5/84, 85, 81, 82

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 505,821 10/1893 Druet 5/84 852,507 5/1907 I-Ienwood... 5/84 885,243 4/1908 Haas 1 128/75 896,114 8/1908 Jacobson 128/84 1,588,573 6/1926 Edmiston .1 5/84 1,693,320 11/1928 Smith et al 128/84 1,699,026 l/1929 Schumacher et al.

2,517,681 8/1950 Koerper 128/70 3,060,929 10/1962 Ziui 128/75 3,085,768 4/1963 Treutelaar 128/75 3,153,411 10/1964 Unks 128/75 3,683,900 8/1972 Alessi et a1. 128/75 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 8/1926 Great Britain 128/84 Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant ExaminerJ. Yasko Attorney, Agent, or Firm-W. W. Ritt, Jr.

[ 57 ABSTRACT A system for the application of orthopedic traction, including a transportable frame providing adjustable support for a bed mattress and various traction equip ment that can be removably attached thereto. The frame with the mattress and traction equipment will fit on a hospital bed or a bed in the patients home, and with the patient can be placed as a unit in an ambulance to transfer the patient between hospital and home without interruption of the traction therapy. Ancillary traction equipment and a wheeled cart especially for the frame also are described, the cart designed for use in lieu of a bed frame where desired.

3 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure PORTABLE TRACTION SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The orthopedic procedure used on children who have sustained major fractures entails the use of traction for a period of approximately 6 weeks. The first 2 weeks are critical, during which constant surveillance by the physican is required. At the end of 2 weeks the bone usually has knit sufficiently to no longer require adjustment of the traction. From that point on the patient is kept in traction in the hospital until the callus is formed and a cast can be applied. It has been found that the patient would recover as well at home during this period, and for that matter would do better in the home environment. However, prior to the conception of the present invention there was no satisfactory way to accomplish transfer from the hospital to the home while maintaining proper, secure traction at all times.

Another problem overcome by the present invention is the high cost of residing in the hospital during the callus-forming period. Besides eliminating this expense, a home base for this recovery period spares the parents the time and additional expense of hospital visits required to maintain the patients morale and alleviate the boredom children experience during such a long stay in bed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises an orthopedic traction system that can be used for the application and uninterrupted maintenace of traction to a patient while recovering in the hospital, the home, or elsewhere, and during transfer of the patient from any one of these locations to another. This system includes a portable frame on which a bed mattress rests and to which the various traction guards, etc., can be clamped or otherwise removably attached, a number of traction support items particularly adapted for use with this frame, and a wheeled cart on which the frame can be placed and in which various traction equipment can be stored. The frame is adapted'for placement on any standard hospital or home bed frame to constitute a complete bed traction arrangement. The traction frame has provision for supporting a mattress and the patient in various sitting-up as well as total reclining positions, and also provides for hand-carrying the frame as a unit.

The system of the present invention is basically different from currently known techniques in that it facilitates application of traction independent of the hospital bed, so that the patient can be moved independently of that bed to other hospital facilities or the home. Thus, the bone can be set in the operating room, traction applied, and the patient then moved to a hospital room without being disturbed. Furthermore, during his recovery phase the patient can be taken to the x-ray facilities, rather than requiring the x-ray equipment to be brought to the patients room.

In addition to supporting the patient and the bed mattress, the traction frame of this invention has a strength design adequate to permit direct attachment of the clamps and bars necessary for conducting pulley, weight, or spring techniques. This contrasts strongly with the more restricted and less desirable conventional practice of attaching this equipment to the hospital bed itself.

The various components of the system of the present invention are designed so that the traction equipment desired by the physican can be installed by relatively unskilled personnel, and since the equipment is secured directly to the traction frame the necessity for adaption to the various kinds of hospital beds is completely eliminated. This design results in an assembly that is more rigid and free from accidental disarrangement than devices that are attached directly to the standard hospital bed. Even if the clamping screws become loose, the

traction frames design prevents serious misadjust ments from occurring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The drawing is a perspective view, partially exploded of a traction system according to the present invention, showing the traction frame and the various traction bars and related service equipment that are attachable to the frame.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Broadly considered, a traction system 10 according to the present invention comprises a traction frame 12, a wheeled cart 14 on which the frame 12 can be set and transported, and suitable traction supporting equipment such as vertical supports 16, 18, 20, 22 and horizontal supports 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32. Each of the vertical supports is comprised of an upper section and a lower section into which the upper section can be telescoped to adjust the height of the support. The vertical and horizontal supports are adjustably secured together to provide a safe, firm structure for supporting various traction devices that might be required to carry out the physicans prescribed treatment, as for example different styles of pulleys 34 and 36, a moused hook 38 for holding spring type traction devices 40, 42, 44, and a trapeeze 46' that is adjustable up and down by links 47 to allow the patient to regulate his position.

The frame 12 comprises a pair of longitudinal side elements 48, 50, and a pair of transverse end elements 52, 54 welded or otherwise secured to the side elements to form a bed-sized rectangle, a back support 56 pivotally connected at 58, 60 to the elements 48, 50, and suitable bottom panels 61 (shown in phantom). The frame is dimensioned so that it will neatly accept and hold a standard mattress within the confines of the side and end elements, and has stop elements 62 pivotally secured to its side elements for holding it in proper position on a standard hospital bed frame.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the back support 56 includes a pair of lateral struts 64 each pivotally secured at one end to the supports opposite sides at 66, 68, and a transverse stop element fixed to and extending between the struts other ends. The frames side elements 48, 50 are provided with a plurality of notches 72 into which the stop element 70 can be placed, thereby facilitating adjustment of the angle at which the back support 56 is held. Of course, when desired the back support can be pivoted down completely into the frame so that the mattress will be absolutely flat.

The frame elements 48, 50 are provided with handles 74 for lifting and carrying the frame from one location to another, and rollers 75 for moving the frame in and out of an ambulance. Although the handles are mounted on the side elements 48, 50, they also can be provided on the end element 52, 54 if desired.

Although the illustrated side and end elements of the frame are of angular design in cross-section, as are also the peripheral members of the frames back support, it should be understood that this is purely exemplary of one style of structure according to the invention, and that other configurations, such as tubular, also can be employed for these purposes.

In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the vertical supports 16, 18, 20 and 22 are removably yet firmly secured to the frame 12 by inverted U-shaped clamps 76 tightened by thumb screws 78. The horizontal supports 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32 are secured in an adjustable manner to the adjacent vertical supports or to each other by T-shaped couplings 80 or cross-shaped couplings 82, these couplings having pip pins 84 fitting into holes 85 to lock them in place. Securing the various parts to the frame by other means, such as a nut that is threaded downwardly around the vertical support to bear tightly against a clamp 76, are also within the scope of this invention. According, when the frame 12 and its vertical and horizontal traction supports are properly assembled they form a rigid and exceptionally strong unit on which pulleys, spring traction mechanisms, trapeezes, etc., can be as securely and safely mounted as when they are attached to conventional hospital traction apparatus. Furthermore, this resulting traction system, the mattress, and the patient can be easily and readily lifted and transported from one location to another without in any way disturbing the traction to which the patient is being subjected.

If desired, additional equipment such as siderails 86, an adjustable Dunlop frame 88, tie downs such as that represented at 90, and a dining table 92 also can be removably clamped to the frame 12 at various locations as their need arises.

Although the frame 12 and the associated traction equipment can be manually moved about as a unit, if desired it can be set on a wheeled cart such as that illustrated at 14. This cart 14 has upstanding side and end panels 94 and guide-retainers 96 that function to guide the frame 12 into proper position as it is being lowered onto the cart 14, and then to retain the frame in that described, it will be apparent that modification and variation may be made without departing from what is regarded to be the subject matter of the invention.

I claim:

l. A portable traction system for maintaining a patient in uninterrupted traction therapy during his transfer between a hospital and another location, and also during his entire recovery period whether in the hospital, at home, orelsewhere, comprising in combination:

1. a hand-transportable stretcher-like traction frame for hand carrying a patient while in traction therapy, said frame including horizontally disposed side and end elements interconnected to establish a peripheral base structure for a patient-supportive mattress and traction-exerting equipment, said frame positionable on and freely removable from a hospital bed, home bed, hospital gurney, or other suitable foundation without interruption of traction therapy;

2. an adjustable back rest mounted on the base structure for supporting a mattress and a patient in a plurality of positions between prone and full sitting;

3. a mattress residing on the base structure and ad justable back rest;

4. a traction superstructure including elongated traction bars secured in an upright attitude to the bass structure for providing a traction-force support for spring-type traction-exerting equipment; and

5. spring-type traction exerting means secured to the traction superstructure for safely exerting traction on a patient both while being moved from one location to another and also while stationary at any location;

whereby said traction system provides the combined functions of a stretcher, a bed, and a traction apparatus in a unitary structure that is freely movable from one location to another while providing continuous traction therapy on a patient.

2. A portable traction system according to claim 1 including handle means and rollable means on the traction frame for assisting in moving the frame into and out of a motor vehicle.

3. A portable traction system according to claim 1 including a wheeled cart with means thereon for guiding the frame into proper position on the cart and retaining the frame in said proper position. 

1. A portable traction system for maintaining a patient in uninterrupted traction therapy during his transfer between a hospital and another location, and also during his entire recovery period whether in the hospital, at home, or elsewhere, comprising in combination:
 1. a hand-transportable stretcher-like traction frame for hand carrying a patient while in traction therapy, said frame including horizontally disposed side and end elements interconnected to establish a peripheral base structure for a patient-supportive mattress and traction-exerting equipment, said frame positionable on and freely removable from a hospital bed, home bed, hospital gurney, or other suitable foundation without interruption of traction therapy;
 2. an adjustable back rest mounted on the base structure for supporting a mattress and a patient in a plurality of positions between prone and full sitting;
 3. a mattress residing on the base structure and adjustable back rest;
 4. a traction superstructure including elongated traction bars secured in an upright attitude to the base structure for providing a traction-force supporT for spring-type tractionexerting equipment; and
 5. spring-type traction exerting means secured to the traction superstructure for safely exerting traction on a patient both while being moved from one location to another and also while stationary at any location; whereby said traction system provides the combined functions of a stretcher, a bed, and a traction apparatus in a unitary structure that is freely movable from one location to another while providing continuous traction therapy on a patient.
 2. an adjustable back rest mounted on the base structure for supporting a mattress and a patient in a plurality of positions between prone and full sitting;
 2. A portable traction system according to claim 1 including handle means and rollable means on the traction frame for assisting in moving the frame into and out of a motor vehicle.
 3. A portable traction system according to claim 1 including a wheeled cart with means thereon for guiding the frame into proper position on the cart and retaining the frame in said proper position.
 3. a mattress residing on the base structure and adjustable back rest;
 4. a traction superstructure including elongated traction bars secured in an upright attitude to the base structure for providing a traction-force supporT for spring-type traction-exerting equipment; and
 5. spring-type traction exerting means secured to the traction superstructure for safely exerting traction on a patient both while being moved from one location to another and also while stationary at any location; whereby said traction system provides the combined functions of a stretcher, a bed, and a traction apparatus in a unitary structure that is freely movable from one location to another while providing continuous traction therapy on a patient. 